Mobile communication devices need to be provided with service data in order to connect to a wireless network, such as a wireless voice and/or data network, and to use the wireless services available on such networks. The process by which a service relationship is established between a mobile communication device and a mobile data server is referred to as “activation” in that the process of establishing a service relationship activates the wireless services for the mobile communication device. This process is sometimes referred to as “provisioning”; however, this usage of the term is unrelated to the separate “provisioning” process which occurs at the wireless carrier level.
Activation of a mobile communication devices is required for new devices which do not have an existing service relationship, and may be required in other circumstances such as during device switch operations in which the device associated with a wireless network subscription is switched (for example, when a SIM card is swapped between mobile communication devices) or when the service data affecting the mobile communication devices or the mobile data server changes. Activation of a mobile communication device must be done securely in order to prevent unauthorized users from activating a device on a mobile data server, for example, in a denial of service (DOS) attack. Typically, the mobile communication devices are activated by connecting the mobile communication device to a computer which is a securely connected to the wireless connector system (e.g. a mobile data server) which controls access to the wireless network. This secure connection is often provided by connecting to the mobile data server via a local area network (such as an enterprise network).
Thus, there exists a need to provide an improved method and system for establishing a service relationship between a mobile communication device and a mobile data server for connecting to a wireless network.
It will be noted that throughout the drawings and description similar features are identified by the same reference numerals.